Hibiscus plant named &#39;15280 GR&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘15280 GR’ is a new and distinct hardy herbaceous  Hibiscus  hybrid with novel characteristics that include upright branched stems, numerous, outward-facing, light purple flowers converting to deep purplish pink color toward the center of the flower, with a center eye that is between dark red and deep purplish red, a prolonged blooming season, and hastate, trilobed leaves.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Hibiscus hybrid (L.).

Cultivar denomination: ‘15280 GR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the new and distinct Hibiscus plant ‘15280 GR’. ‘15280 GR’ was generated from a cross performed on Jul. 14, 2014 near Vernon, Tex. between ‘12078-5’ (pod parent, unpatented) and ‘13028-2’ (pollen parent, unpatented). The pedigrees of each parent reflect a complex mixture of Hibiscus species that include H. mocheutos, H. coccineus, H. militaris, and H. dasycalyx. The seed from this cross was harvested on Aug. 30, 2014 and the ‘15280 GR’ seedling was selected in the summer of 2015. ‘15280 GR’ was first asexually propagated near Vernon, Tex. in 2016 by stem tip cuttings. The resulting as well as subsequent asexually propagated plants have been stable and true to type throughout successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘15280 GR’ differs from its parents and all other known hardy herbaceous Hibiscus plants. The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of ‘15280 GR’: (1) it is a hardy perennial with dense branching and a compact growth habit; (2) it blooms profusely over a prolonged season; and (3) its flowers exhibit a light purple (RHS 84B) to deep purplish pink (RHS 73A) background and a center eye that is between dark red (RHS 59A) and deep purplish red (RHS 59B).

‘15280 GR’ plants can be readily and unambiguously distinguished from those of its parents. ‘15280 GR’ plants exhibit light purple (RHS 84B) gradually changing to deep purplish pink (RHS 73A) flowers that have an average diameter of 17 cm and hastate, trilobed leaves. Whereas, ‘12078-5’ plants (pod parent) exhibit light purplish blue (RHS 95D) to very pale purplish blue (RHS 97C) flowers that have an average diameter of 10 cm and lobed leaves; and ‘13028-2’ plants (pollen parent) exhibit deep purplish red (RHS 187D) flowers that have an average diameter of 12.5 cm and hastate leaves.

‘Plum Crazy’ (U.S. Pat. No. 11,854), which is within the pedigree of ‘15280 GR’, is the hibiscus plant that exhibits flowers that are colored most similarly to those of ‘15280 GR’. Nonetheless, plants of ‘15280 GR’ and ‘Plum Crazy’ can also be readily and unambiguously distinguished from one another at least based upon petal shape, flowering time, flowering amount, and growth habit. The petals of ‘15280 GR’ are not cupped; whereas, the petals of ‘Plum Crazy’ are cupped. Also, ‘15280 GR’ plants exhibit a more compact growth habit, earlier flowering, and more profuse flowering than ‘Plum Crazy’ plants. ‘15280 GR’ plants can also be readily and unambiguously distinguished from ‘Fantasia’ plants (U.S. Pat. No. 11,853) at least based upon flower shape and growth habit. The petals of ‘15280 GR’ are less overlapping than the petals of ‘Fantasia’, and plants of ‘15280 GR’ exhibit a more compact growth habit than plants of ‘Fantasia’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

‘15280 GR’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form, foliage, flowers, and leaves. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1—Shows a ‘15280 GR’ flower as seen looking directly at the adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year-old plant.

FIG. 2—Shows a ‘15280 GR’ flower as seen looking slightly askew from the adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year-old plant.

FIG. 3—Shows a ‘15280 GR’ leaf.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘15280 GR’. The detailed description was obtained using two-year-old plants grown in loamy sand, open-field, full sun trials at a nursery near Vernon, Tex., during which the plants were supplemented with fertilizer and water as needed. These plants are natural habit and were not treated with plant growth regulators and they were not pinched at any time in the growth year. ‘15280 GR’ has not been observed under all possible environments, and certain characteristics may vary slightly under different environmental conditions. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS), 2001 (4^(th) edition).

-   Propagation:     -   -   Method.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots from stem cuttings after treating             cuttings with a commercial rooting hormone.—About 2 weeks             under misting and at an air temperature of 85° C.         -   Rooting habit.—Normal, branching, fleshy, and developing a             thick diameter (to about 2.5 cm).         -   Root color.—Pale yellow (between RHS 161D and RHS 162D),             depending on soil type.         -   Crop time (under normal summer growing conditions and when             grown in a 4 L container from a rooted cutting).—8 to 10             weeks to flower with very good plant vigor. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Hardy herbaceous perennial with 6 to             8 thick upright and heavily branched main stems producing an             upright spreading mound about 100.0 cm tall and 90.0 cm             wide, which is widest about 50 cm above the soil line.         -   Primary branches.—8 to 16 per main stem that protrude at             about a 45° angle from horizontal.         -   Lateral branches.—On the middle half of the primary stems.         -   Lateral branch size.—Between 15 cm and 30 cm long (shorter             at the upper nodes) and with an average diameter of 8.0 mm             at their base.         -   Flower location.—Upper ⅓ of the plant beginning at axillary             nodes while still developing at the apex.         -   Stem.—Rounded, glabrous, glaucous; averages about 100.0 cm             tall and 3.5 cm diameter at their base.         -   Stem color.—Between brilliant yellowish green (RHS 134C) and             strong yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Internode.—About 16 nodes per stem below flower and about 32             total, average internode length is about 4.5 cm of unpinched             plant, but varies between 2.0 to 6.0 cm and are widest in             middle portion of stem. -   Foliage:     -   -   Shape.—Hastate, trilobed with slightly indented margins.         -   Texture.—Adaxial and abaxial matte.         -   Leaf blade size.—To about 18.0 cm long and 9.0 cm wide,             larger proximally and becoming smaller in distal portion of             stem.         -   Foliage color.—Adaxial and abaxial strong yellowish green             (RHS 135C).         -   Veins.—Palmate; adaxial and abaxial veins moderate yellowish             green (RHS 139D).         -   Petiole size (average).—8.0 cm long and 5.0 mm wide.         -   Petiole color.—Between moderate yellow (RHS 163C) and light             yellow (RHS 163D). -   Flowers:     -   -   Buds.—One day prior to opening about 4.5 cm long and 2.5 cm             in diameter, pointed apex and bluntly rounded base, unopened             petals wrinkled at veins; and, prior to showing petals,             about 3.4 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter, ovoid with acute             apex.         -   Bud color.—Exposed petal deep purple (between RHS 79C to RHS             79D toward apex), with vein tinting of vivid purple (RHS             80A); and, prior to showing petals, strong reddish purple             (RHS 72C).         -   Epicalyx.—Entire, smooth, puberulent both surfaces, linear             with sharply acute apex and attenuate base, curved around             sepals; typically 8 to 12 per flower; about 2.5 cm long             tapering to base of about 3.0 mm wide.         -   Epicalyx color.—Adaxial and abaxial strong yellowish green             (RHS 135C).         -   Sepals.—5, proximal half connate forming campanulate             star-shaped calyx; acute apex; margin entire, edentate;             puberulent abaxial glabrous adaxial; individually about 3.5             cm long and about 2.5 cm wide at fusion point. From the             upper side of the flower, sepals barely visible as a star             shape in the center of the flower.         -   Sepal color.—Abaxial and adaxial color strong yellowish             green (RHS 135C).         -   Flowers.—Solitary, about 20 to 30 per main stem without             pinching; primarily outwardly facing; average 17 cm across,             larger in early part of flowering season; persist for one to             two days, depending on temperature; effective for at least             14 weeks beginning early July and lasting into October             (north Texas), no detectable fragrance.         -   Petals.—5; glabrous, slightly lustrous in the center and             dull both front and back toward middle and perimeter, adnate             to the androecium to form a column, imbricate to about 30%             overlapping at widest part (petals about 50% overlapping the             next petal to either side). Veins: Palmately veined, primary             and secondary veins impressed on front and ribbed on back;             veins extend from the eye zone. Shape: Rounded. Margins:             Entire, frilled, especially inside the flower. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Short claw-like. Surface: Adaxial and abaxial             glabrous, ribbed. Size (average): About 10.0 cm long and             10.0 cm wide at widest portion (largest in earlier part of             flowering season); center dark eye about 3.0 cm diameter.             Color: Adaxial and abaxial near light purple (RHS 84B)             gradually changing to deep purplish pink (RHS 73A), center             eye between dark red (RHS 59A) and deep purplish red (RHS             59B).         -   Gynoecium.—Style: Enclosed in column about 7.0 cm long and             0.5 cm wide at base; column color pale purplish red (RHS             65D); style protruding from column and split in distal 10.0             mm portion into typically 5 branches, branch diameter 2.0             mm; branch color nearest strong purplish red (RHS 60B).             Stigma: Typically 5; globose, puberulose, about 3.0 mm in             diameter; color nearest strong purplish red (RHS 60B).             Ovary: Superior, about 6.5 mm across at base and 6.0 mm             tall; acute apex.         -   Androecium.—Filaments: Numerous, about 150; less than 1.0 mm             in diameter and about 5.0 mm long; attached along nearly the             entire length of column; color nearest pale purplish pink             (RHS 62D). Anthers: Reniform; about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide;             nearest moderate yellow (RHS 163C). Pollen: Numerous,             globose, less than 0.1 mm long; color moderate yellow (RHS             163C).         -   Pedicel.—Rounded in cross section, finely puberulent; length             from base of sepal to abscission point average 2.0 cm long             and 4.0 mm wide, longer on early flowers decreasing in later             flowers; color brilliant yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Peduncle.—Rounded, puberulent, average about 6.0 cm long             from abscission point to stem and 4.0 mm wide, slightly             longer on earlier flowers.         -   Peduncle color.—Brilliant yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Fruit.—Few, loculicidal capsule; glabrous; globose,             occasionally with abruptly acute apex; color between light             yellowish brown (RHS 199C) and dark grayish yellow (RHS             199D) when mature.         -   Seed.—Minutely floccose, typically globose; about 3.0 mm in             diameter; color between dark grayish reddish brown (RHS             200A) and moderate brown (RHS 200C). -   Resistance: The plant grows best with plenty of moisture, but is     able to tolerate some drought once established. Other pest and     disease resistance beyond that of other hardy perennial hibiscus     cultivars has not been observed. Hardiness at least from USDA Zone 4     through 9. -   Commercial use: Suitable for potted plant culture, landscaping as a     specimen or en masse, and especially suited for patios and confined     spaces because of the compact habit. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus hybrid (L.) plant named ‘15280 GR’ as shown and described herein. 